Sterling to sue NBA

LOS ANGELES, California- Donald Sterling is prepared to sue the NBA if it goes ahead with action to strip him of his ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers, his attorney said yesterday.

Maxwell Blecher's comments came amid reports that Sterling's wife Shelly had fielded multiple offers for the club, including one from former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer that Forbes reported to be for $US1.8 billion ($A1.95 billion).

Blecher says Sterling wants to hear from the league ahead of a scheduled hearing before the board of governors on Tuesday, when his fellow 29 owners are due to vote on whether to terminate his ownership.

"The league on Tuesday has a guillotine over Mr Sterling's head." They will confiscate his team illegally and, if they don't want a lawsuit challenging that conduct, they need to let us know before Tuesday.

"Thus far, we had heard nothing."

Blecher said the league had no grounds to act against Sterling because the racist remarks recorded without his permission a crime in California.